WASHINGTON (CNN) – House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers is blasting charges by a group of Republican lawmakers that a Muslim activist group has planted interns on Capitol Hill in an effort to alter national security legislation.

"It shouldn't need to be said in 2009, and after the historic election of our first African-American president, but let me remind all my colleagues that patriotic Americans of all races, religions, and beliefs have the right - and the responsibility - to participate in our political process, including by volunteering to work in Congressional offices," Conyers, a Michigan Democrat, said in a Thursday statement. "Numerous Muslim-American interns have served the House ably and they deserve our appreciation and respect, not attacks on their character or patriotism."

GOP Reps. Sue Myrick of North Carolina, Paul Broun of Georgia and John Shadegg and Trent Franks of Arizona had held a press conference Wednesday highlighting an undercover investigation undertaken by conservative Chris Gaubatz, who spent several months posing as an intern at the Council on American-Islamic Relations. A book about that operation written by his father, David Gaubatz, and co-author Paul Sperry features a foreword previously penned by Myrick. That book, published by an imprint attached to conservative Web publication World Net Daily, was scheduled for release on Thursday.

In an excerpt of the foreword published by the Raleigh News & Observer, Myrick says the authors had documented evidence Muslim agents are in the country and "carrying out their subversive plan."

"America is asleep to the danger that confronts us," writes the congresswoman. "Since the 1960s there has been a concerted effort on the part of radical Islamists to infiltrate our major institutions. Front groups of terror now operate openly in our country, comprising a network of support for jihadists. …We Americans must wake up before it is too late!"

soundoff(108 Responses)

Peter E

You know, these fear-mongering propaganda are in no way different from nazi Germany's propaganda against Jews. It also singles out a religion, equates it with hineous crimes, and tells people to shun, distrust, or even fight against the supposed enemy within. We are not far from returning to rounding up fellow Americans and throwing them in internment camps.
Have terrorists attacked us who were muslim? Yes. But so have Christians. Don't forget that the number one act of home-grown terrorism in America was carried out by Timothy McVeigh, a natural-born citizen, military veteran, republican, and member of the NRA. The perfect idol for conservatives!

October 15, 2009 07:23 pm at 7:23 pm |

Kentucky

lets see, the gop have lost the black vote, the hispanic voted, the gay vote, the sane vote, the catholic vote. now, they can add the muslim/islamic vote.
don't you love how they are expanding their base?

October 15, 2009 07:25 pm at 7:25 pm |

Proud member of "Global Zero:

So what. Why is it such an uproar to have a Muslim friend, co worker, spouse....get over it folks.

October 15, 2009 07:28 pm at 7:28 pm |

Roger in CA

Pretty odious that in this day and age persons of a particular minority religion are blanketly treated as suspect, dangerous and radical.

All one has to do is consider the outrage should the equivalent statements be made about Catholics or Jews or Episcopalians.

October 15, 2009 07:32 pm at 7:32 pm |

Rob Johnson

Look out! There's one behind you! THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!

This kind of fearmongering is straight out of the McCarthy "Red Scare" of the 1950s, where many Republicans apparently still live.

On a positive note, there is nothing wrong with the authors of this book that the latest in anti-paranoid psychiatric meds couldn't fix.

October 15, 2009 07:34 pm at 7:34 pm |

gl, Pittsburgh

The GOP have showed the world one to many times how racist they are against any body that is not white or have the same views are they have. The GOP racist ways are going to hurt them more then they can imagage.

October 15, 2009 07:36 pm at 7:36 pm |

Ed, Santa Fe, NM

GOPers are SCUM

October 15, 2009 07:37 pm at 7:37 pm |

Daniel Sacramento

The Christian Taliban Strikes Again. So much for respecting the Constitution. Seperartion between church and state doesn't matter to the GOP.

October 15, 2009 07:38 pm at 7:38 pm |

gl, Pittsburgh

Fifty-three House Republicans on Thursday urged President Obama to fire his "safe schools czar," citing their concerns that Kevin Jennings wants to promote a "homosexual agenda" and that as a schoolteacher years ago he did not report that a young student told him he was romantically involved with an older man.

REPUBLICANS ARE FULL OF HATE AND ARE BAD FOR THIS COUNTRY.

REPUBICANS=TALIBANS.

October 15, 2009 07:41 pm at 7:41 pm |

Independant Vet

At last it is coming out , Some have tried an media would not let it hit the press. ( we can not write that )

Starting many years ago , from the south side , into Indiana. rumors have been going on . Wright.

October 15, 2009 07:42 pm at 7:42 pm |

Expat in Canada

This might be one of the more bigoted things I've come across in a while. I would have thought religious persecution was past us, but it seems like the GOP isn't beyond hatred.

October 15, 2009 07:42 pm at 7:42 pm |

Cevin

Why is this even an issue? Just because you're Muslim now you are not allowed to participate in your own democracy?! Shall we look at other motivating factors of why this is an issue to these folks of small minds and racist leanings? Yes, racist. Because if it wasn't it wouldn't be an issue. If you think that those interns are there to promote the opposite of American values(tm) then you personally have some serious issues.

October 15, 2009 07:43 pm at 7:43 pm |

Ken, AZ

Sounds much like the communist scare of the 40's and 50's. Myrick is another no-nothing right-winger.

October 15, 2009 07:45 pm at 7:45 pm |

gl, Pittsburgh

American interns have served the House ably and they deserve our appreciation and respect, not attacks on their character or patriotism."
GOP the party of hate!

October 15, 2009 07:45 pm at 7:45 pm |

LacrosseDad

soon but not now America will be consumed by a false religion..islam, and china will have to defend the world.

October 15, 2009 07:47 pm at 7:47 pm |

Barbara; IL

This is one more reason why the Republican party is imploding and becoming more and more seen as the party of nutcases! I am a registered Republican, but find myself embarassed by the actions of these people and others like them who continue to try to divide people along racial and socioeconomic lines. We as Americans deserve better than this and I hope their constituencies have the guts to vote them out of office for such offensive accusations. These people do not represent my beliefs or interests or those of my friends and associates as the party moves more and more to the right. I wish a moderate Republican would have the guts to stand up to the leadership (Steele and Boehner) and the media loud mouths (we all know who they are) and tell them to shut up once and for all.

October 15, 2009 07:48 pm at 7:48 pm |

Susan

Fear Mongering.

October 15, 2009 07:48 pm at 7:48 pm |

Rick from Portland

This is so pathetic, yet again the Republicans are using fear to appeal to their base, i.e ignorant white bigots. I was a Marine officer and served with men and women of all races and religions, including Muslims, in the Middle East. It is deeply insulting to me for elected officials to be taking this attitude. In the words of Samuel Johnson "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel" or perhaps more aptly Ambrose Bierce, who quipped "With all due respect, it is the first".

October 15, 2009 07:48 pm at 7:48 pm |

Annie

It's amazing how much crap Republicans throw out to de-rail any progress. Republicans will and do anything, to insure healthcare reform doesn't get front and center stage.

October 15, 2009 07:49 pm at 7:49 pm |

nancy32

Republicns are looking foolish.

October 15, 2009 07:49 pm at 7:49 pm |

Unemployed in IOWA

They are probabaly Obama's muslim brothers since Obama is trying his hardest to give us another 9/11 by making this country UNSAFE.

Let them talk trash. We will see them in 2012. Since when does your religion have anything to do with your job?

October 15, 2009 07:57 pm at 7:57 pm |

leon of md.

This gal is a nut job. I, being of Jewish desent, had better be careful, because people like these folks will soon be after us to move out of the country. I guess the GOP has nothing better to offer then this garbage.

October 15, 2009 07:59 pm at 7:59 pm |

speechmom

I'm assuming if "the authors had documented evidence Muslim agents are in the country and "carrying out their subversive plan." that they've shared this "evidence" with the proper authorities? Another example of Republicans trying to instill fear in people.